Compartment cover, kit and method for forming the same

Abstract

A vial pack cover, a vial pack kit, and a method for forming the vial pack cover is provided. The vial pack cover can simultaneously cover a plurality of containers while preventing the contents of the containers from degrading or permeating through the cover. In addition, the vial pack cover allows a user to access individual containers without having to remove the cover from the un-accessed containers. The vial pack cover generally includes: (1) a plurality of plug portions joined together and formed from a heat curable rubber; and (2) a barrier layer covering each of the plug portions.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A method, comprising the following steps: 
       providing a heat curable rubber cover for an at least one compartment, said cover including a support sheet having a bottom surface and a plurality of plug portions thereon;  
       covering the plug portions and the bottom surface of the support sheet with a non-rubber barrier layer, wherein there is no intervening layer of adhesive between the cover and the barrier layer; and  
       covering the at least one compartment with the cover therein, by fully engaging the cover with the at least one compartment, wherein only the barrier layer of each plug portion and the barrier layer of the support sheet releasably seals the at least one compartment.  
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of providing the barrier layer includes providing the barrier layer from polytetrafluoroethylene. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of providing the heat curable rubber includes selecting the heat curable rubber from one of silicone rubber, silicone elastomer, organic elastomer, viton, sanoprene and EPDM. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
       injecting through the compartment cover with a needle;  
       withdrawing the needle; and  
       re-sealing the compartment cover.  
     
     
       5. A cover for a compartment, comprising: 
       a plurality of plug portions joined together to form a surface of the cover, wherein the plug portions are formed from a heat curable rubber; and  
       a barrier layer formed directly on and coextensively with said surface of the cover, wherein the barrier layer covers said surface of the cover, wherein when the cover fully engages the compartment only the barrier layer releasably seals the compartment.  
     
     
       6. The compartment cover of  claim 5 , wherein the heat curable rubber is selected from the group consisting of silicone rubber, silicone elastomer, organic elastomer, viton, sanoprene and EPDM. 
     
     
       7. The compartment cover of  claim 5 , wherein the plug portions are needle penetrable. 
     
     
       8. The compartment cover of  claim 5 , wherein the heat curable rubber is re-sealable. 
     
     
       9. The compartment cover of  claim 5 , wherein the barrier layer includes polytetrafluoroethylene. 
     
     
       10. A compartment cover comprising: 
       a support sheet;  
       a plurality of plug portions fixed to the support sheet, wherein both the support sheet and the plug portions have a coextensive exposed surface and are formed from a heat curable rubber; and  
       a barrier layer formed directly on the coextensive exposed surface of the plug portions and the support sheet, wherein the coextensive exposed surface of the plug portions and the surface of the support sheet is coated with the barrier layer, wherein when the cover fully engages a compartment only the barrier layer releasably seals the compartment.  
     
     
       11. The compartment cover of  claim 10 , wherein the heat curable rubber is selected from the group consisting of silicone rubber, silicone elastomer, organic elastomer, viton, sanoprene and EPDM. 
     
     
       12. The compartment cover of  claim 10 , wherein the barrier layer includes polytetrafluoroethylene. 
     
     
       13. The compartment cover of  claim 10 , wherein the plug portions are needle penetrable. 
     
     
       14. The compartment cover of  claim 10 , wherein the heat curable rubber is re-sealable. 
     
     
       15. The compartment cover of  claim 10 , further comprising ribbing extending between the plug portions. 
     
     
       16. The compartment cover of  claim 15 , wherein the ribbing also extends around the periphery of a support sheet. 
     
     
       17. A kit, comprising: 
       a pack, wherein the pack includes a plurality of compartments open to a surface of the pack;  
       a cover for covering the pack, wherein the cover includes:  
       a support sheet;  
       a plurality of plug portions integrally formed as a part of the support sheet, wherein both the support sheet and the plug portions have a coextensive exposed surface and are formed from a heat curable rubber; and  
       a barrier layer formed directly on the coextensive exposed surfaces of both the support sheet and the plug portions, wherein when the cover is fully engaged with the pack, only the barrier layer releasably seals at least one of said plurality of compartments of the pack.  
     
     
       18. The kit of  claim 17 , wherein the heat curable rubber is selected from the group consisting of silicone rubber, silicone elastomer, organic elastomer, viton, sanoprene and EPDM. 
     
     
       19. The kit of  claim 17 , wherein the barrier layer includes polytetrafluoroethylene. 
     
     
       20. The kit of  claim 17 , wherein the plug portions are needle penetrable. 
     
     
       21. The kit of  claim 17 , wherein the heat curable rubber is re-sealable. 
     
     
       22. The kit of  claim 17 , wherein the compartments further comprise containers, and wherein the containers are placed into the openings of the pack. 
     
     
       23. The kit of  claim 22 , wherein each plug portion releasably engages a vial. 
     
     
       24. The kit of  claim 17 , further comprising a device for removing individual plug portions from the kit. 
     
     
       25. The kit of  claim 24 , wherein the device is a cutter. 
     
     
       26. A kit comprising: 
       a pack, wherein the pack includes a plurality of compartments open to a surface of the pack;  
       a support sheet and a plurality of plug portions joined together, wherein the support sheet and the plug portions have a coextensive exposed surface and wherein the sheet and the plurality of plug portions are formed from a heat curable rubber;  
       a barrier layer formed directly on the coextensive exposed surface of the support sheet and the plug portions, wherein the barrier layer covers the exposed coextensive surface, and wherein when said support sheet and the plug portions fully engage the pack, only the barrier layer releasably seals at least one of said plurality of compartments of the pack.  
     
     
       27. The kit of  claim 26 , wherein the heat curable rubber is selected from the group consisting of silicone rubber, silicone elastomer, organic elastomer, viton, sanoprene and EPDM. 
     
     
       28. The kit of  claim 26 , wherein the plug portions are needle penetrable. 
     
     
       29. The kit of  claim 28 , wherein the needle penetrable plug portions are re-sealable. 
     
     
       30. The kit of  claim 26 , wherein the barrier layer includes polytetrafluoroethylene. 
     
     
       31. A compartment cover comprising: 
       a plurality of plug portions joined together to form a surface of the cover, wherein the plug portions are formed from a heat curable rubber; and  
       a barrier layer formed directly and coextensively on said surface of the cover, wherein the barrier layer covers said surface of the cover, wherein when the cover fully engages a compartment only the barrier layer releasably seals the compartment.  
     
     
       32. A method of using a heat curable rubber as a cover for a compartment, comprising the following steps: 
       providing a heat curable rubber cover including a support sheet and a plurality of plug portions, wherein the plug portions are coated with a barrier layer formed on a surface of each of the plug portions and the support sheet without an intervening adhesive layer; and  
       fully engaging the cover with a compartment having a plurality of containers therein, wherein only the barrier layer of each plug portion releasably seals each of the containers.  
     
     
       33. A kit, comprising: 
       a pack, wherein the pack includes a plurality of compartments open to a surface of the pack, the compartments holding containers;  
       a compartment cover formed from a heat curable rubber, wherein the cover includes:  
       a support sheet; and  
       a plurality of plug portions integrally formed as a part of the support sheet, wherein the support sheet has an exposed surface; and  
       a coextensive barrier layer formed on the plug portions and the exposed surface of the support sheet without an intervening adhesive layer, wherein when the cover is fully engaged with the pack, only the barrier layer releasably at least seals one of the containers of the pack.  
     
     
       34. A kit, comprising: 
       a pack, wherein the pack includes a plurality of compartments open to a surface of the pack;  
       a compartment cover formed from a heat curable rubber, wherein the cover includes:  
       a plurality of plug portions joined together to form an exposed surface; and  
       a coextensive barrier layer formed on the plug portions and the exposed surface of the support sheet, without an intervening adhesive layer, wherein when the cover is fully engaged with the pack, only the barrier layer releasably seals at least one of the compartments of the pack, and  
       a cutter for removing one of the plug portions from the compartment kit.  
     
     
       35. A compartment cover, comprising: 
       a plurality of plug portions joined together to form an exposed surface, wherein the plug portions are formed from a heat curable rubber; and  
       a polytetrafluoroethylene barrier layer formed directly and coextensively on said surface, wherein the barrier layer covers said surface of the cover, wherein when the cover fully engages a compartment only the barrier layer releasably seals the compartment.  
     
     
       36. The compartment cover of  claim 35 , wherein the heat curable rubber is selected from the group consisting of silicone rubber, silicone elastomer, viton, sanoprene or EPDM. 
     
     
       37. The compartment cover of  claim 35 , wherein a needle aperture is formed in at least one of the plug portions. 
     
     
       38. The compartment cover of  claim 35 , wherein the heat curable rubber is re-sealable. 
     
     
       39. A kit, comprising: 
       a pack, wherein the pack includes a plurality of compartments open to a surface of the pack;  
       a compartment cover formed from a heat curable rubber, wherein the cover includes:  
       a plurality of plug portions joined together to form an exposed surface, wherein the plug portions are formed from a heat curable rubber;  
       a coextensive barrier layer formed directly on the plug portions and the exposed surface of the support sheet, wherein when the cover is fully engaged with the pack, only the barrier layer releasably seals at least one of the compartments of the pack, and  
       a needle aperture formed in at least one of the plug portions.  
     
     
       40. A kit, comprising: 
       a pack, wherein the pack includes a plurality of compartments open to a surface of the pack;  
       a compartment cover formed from a heat curable rubber, wherein the cover includes:  
       a plurality of plug portions joined together to form an exposed surface, wherein the plug portions are formed from a heat curable rubber; and  
       a coextensive polytetrafluoroethylene barrier layer formed directly on the plug portions and the exposed surface of the support sheet, wherein when the cover is fully engaged with the pack, only the barrier layer releasably seals at least one of the compartments of the pack.